DAY 30 – INVERNESS TO FORTROSE

Two days walking were planned for this trip and to make best use of the local bus service we travelled by car to Fortrose the night before and stayed in the welcoming Anderson Hotel. In the morning we caught the 8 a.m.Inverness bus starting our days walk at North Kessock. It was a lovely sunny morning when we set off walking passed the Lifeboat station under the Kessock Bridge on a minor road towards Kilmuir. We followed the road until it ended passed some houses near Croft Downie. We had a nasty experience at this point when a vicious Doberman dog which the owner obviously allows to roam free to discourage walkers from using the path decided to menace us. Thank goodness for walking poles. We picked up a signposted sea edge path to the lovely village of Kilmuir where we enjoyed our packed breakfast which had been supplied by our hotel as we were having an early start. From Kilmuir we walked at sea edge for half a mile before taking a path up the hillside where we enjoyed the lovely views. We met the local gamekeeper who advised us that as it was low tide it was possible to walk at the sea edge round the point into MunlochyBay. We returned to the sea edge and once round the point we followed various farm tracks and paths along the south side of the bay to Munlochy. At a point near Bayhead we thought it would be possible to cross the river and shorten our route but had to abandon this idea when we started to sink in the heavy mud. Walking through the village we found the disused railway line (signposted) which we followed to the end then made our way passed two lots of ruins back down to the sea edge. We walked along the north side of the bay and round the point onto a very rocky stretch of beach into Avoch (pronounced locally as Och). From here to Fortrose we chose to walk on the disused railway line which runs on the hillside above the road as the main road runs along the sea edge, is busy with traffic and dangerous. A path behind house opposite the harbour takes you up the hillside onto the railway path. Our days walk ended back at the Anderson Hotel.

Summary; The route we walked today is only possible at low tide. A good day’s walk with a variety of terrains.

Highs; Some great views, the dolphins we spotted under Kessock bridge

Lows; The aggressive dog.

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The Anderson Hotel, Fortrose.

The Kessock Bridge, Inverness from near Craigton

Morris at Kilmuir with the Kessock Bridge in the Background

Looking back at the lovely village of Kilmuir.

Douglas on the path from Kilmuir with the mouth of Munlochy Bay at the point and Avoch in the far distance

The difficult underfoot conditions near the sea below Pitlundie

On the hillside near Taindore looking across to the north side of the mouth of Munlochy Bay

The pebble beach near the point below Craigiehowe

Making our way round the point into Munlochy Bay

Looking back at the slippery path we took round the point into Munlochy Bay

Douglas on one of the many paths we found along the south side of Munlochy Bay

A view back to the mouth of the Bay

Another good path we stumbled on

Looking back to the mouth of Munlochy Bay from near Bayhead

Looking inland from near Bayhead to the village of Munlochy

On the disused railway line path we joined on the north side of Munlochy village.

Back at the waters edge on the north side of Munlochy Bay below Ord hill

Heading along the north side of the bay towards the point

At the mouth of Munlochy Bay looking across to Craigiehowe on the south side